


Royal Blood

by matrixrefugee



Category: Gormenghast (TV), Gormenghast Trilogy - Mervyn Peake
Genre: Alternate Universe - Vampire, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-24
Updated: 2019-02-24
Packaged: 2019-11-04 10:49:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 395
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17897036
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/matrixrefugee/pseuds/matrixrefugee
Summary: Something is draining Titus of his energy and blood...





	Royal Blood

**Author's Note:**

> Written for "Fic_promptly"'s [Artist's choice, artist's choice, as vampires](http://fic-promptly.dreamwidth.org/56397.html?thread=2548557&format=light#cmt2548557) Mild vampire!Steerpike/Titus

The footmen who slept in Titus's room and the guards outside the door could not report that they had seen anything approach, but at least one night a week, Titus awakened the next morning feeling exhausted, even drained of energy. This only magnified his unwillingness to perform the Rituals that governed his life and formed the lifeblood of the castle. On these days, Steerpike seemed especially full of vinegar, chiding the young lord for slackening the pace of his duties.

"Without the Ritual, the blood of the castle grows sluggish as its lord and all within suffer," he said. "You are young and full of spirit, but you must take care not to dissipate that spirit through debauchery."

"There is little chance of that," Titus retorted. "I've no moment to find anyone with whom to engage in such congress, let alone the opportunity to steal away for some illicit tryst."

"There are maids in the castle whose beauty may tempt you. Perhaps I should see that older women are sent to tend to your chambers."

"I assure you, Master Steerpike, there were no maids stealing into my room at night," Titus argued. "You may ask my menservants if you do not trust my words."

"There are always dalliances with one's own sex," Steerpike drawled.

Titus nearly clapped his palms to his face in annoyance. "There is none of that taking place, either, I assure you."

"Still, I will see that you have no distractions among your servants," Steerpike continued, ignoring his lord's protestations.

Nevertheless, the nights when something approached Titus in his sleep and fed from him continued, despite the dismissal and reappointment of several of the footmen. They even increased in frequency, to the alarm of all, particularly Dr. Prunesquallor. It was as if a vampire were drinking the youth's blood, but he could find no bitemarks, no toothmarks to show that any life fluid had made any egress from the young lord's flesh. On those days, Prunesquallor could not help noticing how energetic the young Ritual Master had become, though perhaps it was a mere contrast to the Earl's lassitude, borne of his amusement at his master's tardiness

Or it could be that perhaps the servant was somehow culpable in his master's illness? Impossible! Such things were not possible, and he wondered at his own sanity for even daring to entertain such thoughts.


End file.
